Inspirational Story: 8 Year Old Finished Triathlons With Disabled Brother

In August of 2014, 8-year-old Lucas Aldrich completed his second youth triathlon in honor of his brother Noah, who was diagnosed with lissenchephaly at only 3 months old.

Lissenchephaly is a rare brain disorder in which the brain is missing the normal folds and wrinkles in the cerebral cortex. This disease occurs in only 1 in 85,470 births, and can cause difficulty swallowing, seizures, failure to communicate, and other serious health problems.

Lucas and Noah have been inseparable since Noah’s birth, and Lucas has even publicly noted that he loves Noah and thinks Noah is perfect, despite his brain disorder. So, when the idea arose in 2013 to compete in a youth triathlon, Lucas decided that he wasn’t going to do it alone. He wanted Noah right there by his side the entire way.

Since Noah can’t walk, talk, or feed himself, the idea of having Noah compete in a triathlon seemed farfetched. That is, until Lucas came up with an idea that only a true brother could think of.

Lucas began training for the triathlon with Noah as part of his body. By this, I mean that he ran with Noah in a special buggy that he would push. He pulled a secial raft with Noah in it as he swam. And for the biking, Noah would be in a bike trailer that Lucas would pull along, pumping his tiny legs through the sweltering heat.

“Our goal with the whole thing was just to have fun. You can live life without limits” Lucas and Noah’s mother explained. She even added that, although he can’t walk or talk, Noah is “the happiest little guy you can ever imagine, and he just loves being around people. He’s learning how to communicate with us more and more, but there’s definitely a lot in there — he just can’t get it out.”

Last August, Lucas Aldrich completed his second triathlon with Noah, again, right by his side. When the two crossed the finish line, Noah greeted his parents with a smile that could light up a room.

“When he finished, he had the biggest grin that you would have ever seen (and) I know he enjoyed the bike and the run,” his mom said.

Lucas, although only 8 years of age, has been a true inspiration to all kids out there who think they can’t finish a triathlon, let alone to finish one with an added 100 pounds of weight. Another extraordinary fact that enhances this story is the fact that when Lucas decided to complete the triathlon, he didn’t even know how to swim.

The day after his decision to run this with his brother, he trained everyday until he was even able to swim the length of a pool. At the event he swam 200 meters with his brother behind him, along with biking for three miles, and running another mile.

“They have an amazing bond. They’re best friends, and they do everything together,” mom Alissa Aldrich told TODAY Parents. “The connection and the love that they share is truly unique.”

At Everlasting Footprint we appreciate family bond and the sacrifices made for our loved ones who don’t have the fortunes they might wish they could. What Lucas did for his brother is just another step forward in restoring mankind and is truly inspirational for people everywhere.

About Brandon Plotnick

Brandon Plotnick is a student at Florida State University, majoring in the Editing, Writing, and Media program in the English department, with a focus on sports journalism and media production. He has written for Florida State’s student newspaper, The FSView, as well as a Greek Life newsletter, The Odyssey, in his time at Florida State University. His dream is to cover South Florida professional athletics as a sports writer. Brandon was born and raised in Weston, Florida, and currently has a residence in South Florida.